The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 13, 1904, Page 17

71020 "} +* CALL Pages 17020 SAN FRANCISCO, SUNDAY, MARCH 13, -1904. POPE’'S PEASANT SISTERS LIVE SIMPLY, ABJURE FASHION AND DEVOTE T THE TopE.S THREE . ){75;: 4 | < UL Rome Is Very Interesting to the Women, but They Decline Attentions of People of Nobility'and Rank. reported Ty ment b ssolutely n uarter £ the 1 the Pontiff pern family of the adies live in a bright, pret- seve € rooms oridr manuele minutes’ Tt floor a near five atican y are i have hich their mply fur- curtains s not for their comfort. The t accustomed to lounging and cushions ARE NEAT TO EXTREMES. The Pope’s sisters are ideal house- keepers, d the little apartment iIs like a that kept »and the It can scarcely be agement of the 1sehold is confided to any one of the e, for e s a pride in it, each de as she likes, and, if the truth 1=t be told, they cause the little f-all-work to lead rather a life She is 2 Roman, and although willing is not accustomed the niceties of a house, and her mis~ » find corners neglected 0dd places ings of this small maid must xed and amusing. Being a devout the serving the sisters of the er is more than her ambition ever dreamed of, while their particular ways are, to say e least, trying. So while one moment she mentally kisses tbeir hands, the next she anathema- tizes them. Her conversation to her intimates is something on the follow- ng lines ‘Oh, the dear things! To think that I live with the sisters of his Holiness. They are saints'” And five minutes later it is: “Oh, Madonna mia! how noiose (what a nuisance) they are. It is Maria here, and Maria there, and Maria ypu dirty girl, and Maria you careless thing, until I near- ly burst” After this outbreak comes remorse, and it is: “May the saints forgive me. Relations of the Holy father must do what is right. They These simple and good folk at first v hard, as we would say, to lady,” but days of sitting with hands folded, as reading has no charms r them, soon palled, and it was not before one ter the other took le duties in a surreptitious way, the end they kept the maid because Pius X insists that it DO THEIR OWN MARK ING. do their marketing every ntrusting it to the cook, but s0. ing, sisters Sarto delight in dcing it personally, and drive very good bar- ins with the tradespeople, who nce itself. Each ha favorite © they take turns their tastes, each her own day, the « ing in satisf; acting cook on hers meanwhile ap themselves to housework, with sion of sculding the maid. This t morning. The afternoons ted to driving or walking, s in the Vatican gardens, but often about the crowded streets, g few friends, they are pleased nd interested in the movement and variety of a large city. more h The Pontiff in tne beginning desired them to live in the paldzzetto (little palace) in the Vatican gardens, used by Leo XIII as his summer quarters, and which was almost rebuilt by him, but for once in their lives they opposed the will of their brother and flatly re- fused to do anything of the kind. “We might much better go into a convent,” they said, “and you know none of us ever feit that she had the vocation. We would die shut away from the world like that, so quiet and melan- choly, with nothing to look at but a garden.” Pius X promptly gave way and let them choose their own habita- tion, which is on one of the busiest streets of Rome. In appearance the good ladies are comely, inclining to stouthess becomes their years, but with nothing of the handsome looks of their brother, There is nothing to distinguish them from hundreds of other women of their class, but still they have shown a good sense and sturdy pride which many might envy. For instance, they have never worn hats, and when the nuns with whom they stayed when they first came to Rome, presented them with modest headgear, they promptly refused, re- plying proudly that they had always worn black lace and would continue to do so. Before they came to Rome some amusement was occasioned by the speculations as to what they would do when they took their places among the haughty Roman aristoeracy. Certain houses in the Eternal City which have remained faithful to the Holy See con- sider the Pontiff not only their spiritual head, but their earthly ‘sovereign also, =0 that his relations must be treated as royalty. Scoffers employed their time in drawing imaginary pictures of the sisters’ embarrassment at dining, for instance, with Princess Massimo (who is connected with half of the crowned heads of Europe) and at what they would say and do when their hands were kissed by sovereigns, and when they were required to wear de- collete gowns and squeeze their hands into small gloves. These same scoffers, presently that it was humanly impos- sible to investigate an average of fifty cases a day, so their doors are now closed evén to this kind of visitors. But the post and streets they cannot close, so a rain of letters fall each day, most of which never have any answer. S UMMER, TRYSTING PLACE i 1 | - THEIACE I THE VATICAN WITH ' EIS SISTERS .o GEBZENLS Tax RorE S Zzvokrre ~roniy AZXZ Y o s SIS TERS oo POPE PIUS X AND HIS THREE DEVOTED SISTERS. e RO L sa e XA R however, forgot that they had to deal with sturdy peasants, as proud in their way as their so-called “betters,” sensi- tive, and with their eyes open, who had no idea of putting themselves in a po- sition to be ridiculed, so the aristocracy called, had cards left on 'them in re- turn, and there the matter ended. For some time after they first came to Rome the Sarto sisters were sub- ject to another percecution besiles the social one, that of the poor and needy. There was an endless procession of them. At first the sisters’ charitable and simple hearts were touched, ‘and they promised their good offices with the Holy Father and the Vatican to all. ‘When this did not work, and they were sadly deceived, even to having some of the things in their own house stolen, they promised to investigate each case, and those deserving would be given aid. But it became apparent to them Not to be discouraged, the seeker: after subridies make t"eir applications into pellets, or anything which will throw, and, with the sure aim of the Jhunter, cast them into the open win- dows of the apartment in the hopes of lltnctln‘ attention. 1 was one day chatting with the Signorina Rosa, one of the sisters, when suddenly something white flut- tered in at the window, like a dove, and settled softly in ‘her lap. “What is it?” I cried, “A message from Mars or a lova letter?” “Nothing so exciting,” she replied. “T could almost tell you without open- ing it. It must say, ‘Most illustrious signora. for the love of heaven and the church come to the rescue of some poor unfortunates who through no fault of their own are dependent upon charity, ete’ Just peep dut of the window and tell us what you see.” This I did and there beheld a long string of men and women, more or less well dressed, looking Wwith anxiety toward the house and with the appear- ‘ance of having every Intention of stay- ing there for all time to come. There has been considerable talk of the Pope’s sisters going to live in the Vatican to be near him, and such a thing would not be without precedent, but there are difficulties in the way and it is a question if they would be happy. Here they are free to have other members of the family to visit them and to lead their own lives, while there all would be etiquette and re- striction, criticism and envy. —_———— Castellane’s New Play. PARIS, March 12.—Marquis de Cas- tellane has finished his second play, “Marie Walewska.” It is a historical drama . in five acts, the story being woven about the exciting events of the first empire. It will be produced at the Porte Saint Martin Theater. De Cas- Jtellaine’s first effort, “Le Festin de la Mort” (“Banquet of Death”) achieved considerable success. HEIR TIME TO CHARIT — PULITZER'S 'NEWSPA PER SCHEME HAS VANISHED Disappointed Managers and Editors Are the Only Remnants of the New York Pub- lisher's Grand Project. LONDON, March 12.—Albert Pulitzer of New York, who has been staying in Lendon for some time, has now depart- ed, leaving behind many whose hopes of prominent positions in the newspa- per world have been raised to the heights only to be dashed the ground, for Mr. Pulitzer has had great schemes for starting a weekly news- paper in London. This paper was to be beautified by the best that could be done in the way of three-color printing. Staying in great state at the Carlton Hotel with a secretary and servants, ete., and numbering in his suite a spe- cial cook to prepare fobds suitable for the dyspeptic, this semi-invalid invited first one and then another possible managing editor to whom over coffee and cigars he unfolded his initial idea. In several instances the possible editor went away elated at the good thing al- most within his grasp and spent the follgwing few days thinking hard, ob- taining specimens of color printing, making up lists of prominent and suit- able contributors, ~getting in touch again with the distributing trade, etc. in readiness for the future proprietor’s promised call. Occasionally this came promptly, the would-be editor accept- ing the invitation to lunch at the Hyde Park Hotel or elsewhere, armed with lists and particulars. There would b a big and excellent lunch, hearty good comradeship and slapping on the back and eager anxiety to get the whole business forward and settled. But nothing came of it at all. After having been stirred up in this way those edi- tors who are always on the lookout to through careless good nature in back- ing other people’s bills. He was a distinguished soldier who served in the Crimean and Mutiny campaigns and has been military secretary and aid de camp to several distinguished men, retiring from the army with a pension of only $2500 a year. Sir Seymour has next to no private money (almost a necessity with every officer in the British army), as Blamefield Castle in Ayrshire, which is his family seat, al- though very picturesque, is not an in- come producing estate. The first Bar- onet of his line was Sir Gilbert Blaine, one of the Physicians in Ordinary to King George III. Sir Seymour, al- though 70 years of age, had never been married before last year, so that his heir presumptive is still his nephew. CLEVER AMERICANS ABROAD. F. C. Friescke, a painter of Detroit, Mich., is exhibiting three pictures at the show of the International Society of Sculptors and Engravers, now being held in Londen. Mr. Friescke is in Paris, where he has been working for the last seven years, having been made an associate of the Societe des Beaux Arts of Paris in 1901. One of the paint- ings at the exhibition is the property of a most enthusiastic admirer of his— Dr. Paterson—and is called “Femme de Rose The others are “Dame au Om- bulle” and “Tulip Jaune.” Mr. Friesck is the first of the present group ¢ young American artists in Parls have been elected as an associate of the Societe des Beaux Arts, and is consid- ered one of the cleverest young painters in the quarter. Jack Stuart, a pianist of Detroit who { | | | TNEN S TS | T, T | 4 for something new are settling down again, waiting for the next millionaire who may come along. SALE OF SCHENLEY EFFECTS. Collectors of objets d’art and virtu are looking forward eagerly to a sale of the extremely valuable hpusehold effects and collections of Mrs. O. A. Schenley of Pittsburg, who died a few weeks ago. Mrs. Schenley had been for a great number of years well known in London society and had established a home in one of the most fashionable quarters. It having been found impossible to come to a fair and satisfactory division of the wenderful treasures stored in her house, 14 Prince's Gate, it has been decided that everything be realized and the pro- ceeds divided. This will be a great opportunity for collectors, for room after room of this great house is lined with cabinets filled with gems, many of them rare and many of them of great historic value. Her house was the one- adjoining that of Plerpont Morgan, and who, because he wanted it to enlarge his own and was deter- mined to get it, paid no less a sum than $180,000 for the freehoid. Mrs. Schenley’s eldest son, George Arthur Schenley, is a keen yachtsman and is well known in yachting circles here, having taken a house in South Hampshire at the point where the Southampton water and the Hamble River meet and flow into the Solent. This is the most beautiful part of the south of England and nearly all the houses around belong to yachting peo- ple. “Warsash” is the name of Mr. Schenley’'s Hampshire house. BLAINE IS A BANKRUPT. All the American colony in London and her many English friends are sympathizing deeply with Lady Blaine, whose husband, Sir Seymour Blaine, ‘Baronet, has just been made bankrupt. Lady Blaine was until last year the widow of Henry Blake of Boston. Her friends in Europe were delighted when she established a home for herseif in London several years ago by taking a charming house in Hans place which, however, she gave up on her marriage to Sir Seymour. They have been trav- eling about on the Continent almost the whole time since. The proceed- ings against Sir Seymour were brought about by a small creditor. The Bar- enet has brought himself to this pass ~ | London has been studying music in Paris for the last three years, is about to leave the French capital to sail to New York by the Vaterland. Mr. Stuart has been working under the tutelage of Alger Swayne, the American teacher in Paris, and this last term has been completing his stuc a2 programme with he will be giving a concert in New York soon after his arrival in that city. Mr. Stuart is most popular not only among the musicians of Paris, but ameng all the artists in the Latin Quarter who have on occasions induced him to ich visit the clubrooms of the American Art Association there to play to them. ————————— BRITISH DEATH RATE GREATLY DECREASED Figures for the Past Year Show the Lowest Percentage on Record. LONDON, March 12.—Last year, ac- cording to the figures issued yesterday by the Registrar General, made a ree~ ord other than that which marked it ag the rainiest year ever known. It was also the year of the lowest death rate on record—15.4 per 1000. The total number of deaths in Eng- land and Wales during 1903 was 514,450, and of these the enormous total of 124, $59 represented infants under one year. This total, however, is the lowest since 1881. Deaths from violence, including accidents, numbered 19,432, The average death rate of London was 16.6 during the last tem years, which compares as follows with that of othe. cities: Christiania lenna 16 Antwerp .. |New Yor 20, Copenhagen 1|Trieste .. 2.1 Reriin . SMoscow 24 Chicago 11.2| Bombay 6. Paris .. 16.6/ Madras . 0 Births during the year in England and Wales totaled 947,949, and the nat- ural increase of population by excess of births over deaths was thus 433,499, as against an average for five years of 368.213. At the same time the number of per- sons emigrating during the year was 448,739, of whom 153,390 were English, 37,515 Scottish, 46,241 Irish and 181,593 of foreign origin. The Irish emigrants show an increase of 9 per cent over the previcus year.